Window cleaner&#39;s guard



C. HINE S WINDOW CLEANER'S GUARD Aug. 29, 1939.

Filed Aug. 6, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 29, 1939. c. HI NES WINDOW CLEANERS GUARD Filed Aug. 6, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 0 O v fiai'ks' fines Patented Aug. 29, 1939 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINDOW CLEANERS GUARD (lharles Hines, New York, N. Y.

Application August 6, 1937, Serial No. 157,772

4 Claims. (01. 20-71) My invention relates to improvements in win- Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation of one of the dow cleaners guards, and particularly to a demounting brackets. vice of this character intended and adapted for Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the mountuse by a window cleaner working from or standing bracket. 5 ing upon the outer sill of the window while wash- Fig. 6 is a view in perspective illustrating a 5 ing or cleaning the outer side of a window. modified form of mountin a An object of this invention is to provide a Heretofore, it has been a practice to mount guard device which is readily fitted in place for hooks or other suitable anchor means at the sides use, which can be removed with equal facility, of a window, where it is desired that a window 10 and which is adaptable to be collapsed to be cleaner or washer stand on the outer sill or 10 carried or otherwise transported from one job to ledge of the window in washing the outside of the another, glass; and, then that the window washer has a Another object and purpose is to so construct belt provided with side extension straps adaptthe guard that a more or less rigid and unyielded to have their ends attached to the hooks or ing support is provided for the window washer, anchor means. With such safety'belts, it is not thus permitting entire freedom of movement of p sible for the Window washer or cleaner to the user, and at the same-time interposing a move freely, and except when the individual is guard rail structure entirely around the worker c y in the middle, y One Side Strap Will so that the danger or likelihod of falling or slipserve to give S pp other yp belts or 2 ping from the window sill or ledge will be reduced protecting devices v n p y d, b t these to a minimum. do not allow full freedom of movement of the Another purpose of my invention is to provide Window washer or cleaner and at the same time a device of this character which has means for ve h f y and assurance f a ri id ard mounting and detaohably holding the gua d rail securely held against outward movement or structure in place, which means is of such char- S de Swinging, and also agains p e t Or 25 actor as to be readily installed upon window m v nt upw or d w w d y, as w apframes or adjacent wall structure of a building p a ts improved structure. already erected, and which can be built into or Bars l and 2, Which can be ade of flat iron incorporated or anchored in the wall structure bar Stock, Grief Other Sui able material, are or other appropriate portions of a building being provided to b disposed in overlapped relation at 30 t d, their adjacent ends, and clamp clips 3 and 4 are Still another object is to so construct and asfitted around these Overlapping e s to ho d the sociate and arrange the parts that this device can ends against lateral displacement and to y be readily and cheaply manufactured, to thus Permit Sliding adjust ent movement endbe sold and distributed at a relatively low price, WiSe- 5 and which will prove substantial and durable The b I and 2 are provided w e iste g in use and will not be likely to become broken or notches p s 01 o fices 5 and B on their damaged while in use or while being transported. adjacent faces, 50 that the p c ws 1 and With the above and other objects in view, some 8 turned into threaded Openings in t e amp 40 of which will appear to those skilled in the art, clips and 4 Will fit into these registering pen- 40 d th of hi h are i h t i th ings to positively lock and hold the bar members struction and association and use of the parts, and 2 against ehdWiSe Shifting 0r Sliding movemy invention includes certain novel features of merlt- All the Same time, the clamp ps 3 a d 4 construction and combinations and arrangeretain these portions l and 2 against wingments and associations of parts, which will be 8 Other movement, and in effect the tWO bar 45 hereinafter set forth in connection with the members I and 2 are secured a ed to ether drawings and then pointed out in t l i to form a substantially continuous and rigid bar In the drawings: p Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective At their outer ends, these bars members I and 5 of a window structure showing my invention ap- 2 av hinge portions 9 a Which hinge 60 plied thereto. portions may be made integral with or may be Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in plan to better secured upon or otherwise associated with the illustrate theconstruction of the device. bar members I and 2. Side bars H and I2 are Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, in elevation of provided with hinge portions I3 and I4 pivotally parts as illustrated in Fig- 2,. connected with the hinge portions 9 and J0 re- 55- spectively, and these side bars II and I2 have extensions I5 which bear and abut against the ends of the bar members I and 2, or against other suitable portions, to thus hold the side bars II and I2 against excessive outward swinging movement, and to substantially rigidly associate the bar members I and 2 and these side bars II and I2 into a U-shaped form, when the side bars are swung to the proper relation.

At their ends, the side bars II and I2 are provided with loops I6 and I! adapted to secure and mount the guard structure in place andto permit ready removal thereof. Mounting brackets I8 are provided to be secured upon the window frame, or other adjacent wall or structural portions, at opposite sides of the window opening, as is best shown in Figure 1, and thesemounting brackets have the bearing ears l9 and 20 thereof spaced sufliciently to receive the mounting loops I6 and IT at the ends of the side bars II and I2. The bearing ears I 9 and 29 are provided with openings to register with the openings of the mounting loops I6 and I1, and pins 2| are provided to be fitted through these registering openings to secure and hold the side bars II and I2 to extend outwardly and in a substantially horizontal plane at each side of the window opening, to thus dispose the bar members I and 2 transversely across the window opening on the outer side and at the outer ends of the side bars II and I2 to thus give sufficient room and clearance for a window washer or cleaner to stand or sit or otherwise work upon the window ledge or sill 22, while cleaning the outside of thewindow glass, as represented at 23. As has been stated, the mounting brackets I8 can be secured upon the window frame structure 24', or can be affixed to or be connected or anchored in communication withthe wall structure, and in the present instance I have shown these mounting brackets I8 as made up of strap or bar metal bent and shaped into the desired form and then provided with openings to receive screws or other fastenings 25 by which the mounting brackets are secured in place. In the disclosure in Fig. 1 I have illustrated the mounting brackets I8 as secured on lateral faces or portions of the window frame structure or casing 24, but it will be obvious that these mounting brackets can be secured on outer faces of the frame or other structure, and that the guard bars will be disposed and will be held in the desired position for use. As the pins 2| are loose and can be freely removed from the registering openings of the loops I6 and I! and of the bearing ears I9 and 29, it is perhaps desirable that a chain 26, or other suitable flexible member, be attached to each pin 22 and be secured at its free end to a screw eye or other anchor fastening, as indicated at 21.

As has been stated, the device of my invention is freely and readily portable, and when the pins 2| are withdrawn and the assembly made up of bar members I and 2 and side bars II and I2, with their associated parts, is removed from the position for use, the side bar arms II and I2 can be folded in to lie alongside of and closely adjacent to the bar membersv and 2. The side bars I I and I2 have screw or pin members 28 rotatably received in the openings adjacent to the hinge portions I3 and I4, and these screw or pin members are provided with wing heads 29. The bar members I and 2 have slots 30 opening therethrough in position to receive the screw or pin members 28, and as the wing head portions 29 are turned to the position shown at the left hand in Fig. 2, the side bars II and I2 will be held against displacement from the folded or collapsed position, to thus facilitate carrying or transportation of the guard structure.

Obviously, the mounting brackets must be provided on opposite sides of the window opening at each window where this. device is to be mounted or used, and in Fig. 6 I have illustrated a modified form of mounting bracket that might be employed to advantage where a new building is being erected. With this construction, the mounting bracket 3| is made up as a forging, casting, or the like, and is provided with an inwardly extending shaft 32 having an anchor head 33 thereon. This mounting bracket adapts; itself well to being built in a masonry wall, cast into a concrete wall, or being otherwise secured or anchored in place, and it will be understood that various other forms and constructions of mounting brackets and of securing means therefor may be employed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a guard structure for window washers and cleaners, for painters, and for others working on the outside of a window, which is of simple and inexpensive construction to thus be adaptable for construction and sale and use at low cost, which is adjustable to windows of various widths, which is quickly and readily fitted in place, and is removable with equal facility, and which when in use will provide a rigid guard rail or bar structure both laterally and transversely around the window opening above the window sill or ledge in position to positively guard and protect a person working upon or from the window ledge or sill, and yet permit free and unrestrained movement of the person.

While I have herein shown and described only certain specific constructions and arrangements of the parts and have set forth only certain possible embodiments and uses of my invention, it will be appreciated that many changes and variations can be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts, as well in the association and use of the device, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

. I claim:

1. A window cleaners guard structure comprising, a pair of, transverse bar members extensively and adjustably connected together, side bars hingedly mounted at the free ends of the bar members and swingable inwardly to lie against the inner side of the bar members, means to detachably connect the free ends of the side bars on opposite sides of a window opening, said side bars being foldable into proximity to the bar members when the guard structure is detached, and means connecting between the transverse and the side bars to hold said side bars in the folded position.

2. A window cleaners guard comprising, a pair of transverse bar members disposed with their ends in overlapping relation, means adjustably holding together the overlapped ends of the bar members, hinges at the free ends of the bar members, side bars foldably mounted on said hinges and swingable inwardly to lie end inwardly against the transverse bar members, loops at the 'free ends of said side bars, bracket mounting means on opposite sides of a window engaging said loops, said side bars being foldable to lie adjacent to the bar members when the guard is not in use, and means engaging between the transverse and the side bars to retain the side bars in this folded relation.

3. A window cleaners guard comprising, a pair of transverse bar members disposed in overlapping relation, clips through which the overlapped ends are slidably received, clamp means carried by said clips to hold the bar member in desired adjusted positions, hinges at the outer ends of said bar members, side bars foldably connected with the bar members through said hinges, loops at the free ends of said side bars, bracket members carried at opposite sides of a window opening provided with portions to receive the loops of the side bars, pins cooperating with said bracket members and the loops of the side bars to detachably connect the side bars with the brackets to dispose the side bars and the bar members to present a substantially U-shaped form extending outwardly in a substantially horizontal plane adjacent to the window opening, said side bars being foldable to lie closely adjacent to the bar members when the guard structure is removed from the position for use, and means connecting between the transverse and the side bars to retain said side bars in the folded relation.

4. A window cleaners guard comprising, a

pair of transverse bar members disposed in overlapping relation with their outer ends extending, clips through which the overlapped ends are slidably received, clamp means carried by said clips engageable with said bar members to hold adjusted positions thereof, hinges at the outer ends of said transverse bar members, side bars connected with said hinges to be thus swingably mounted at the ends of the transverse bar members and provided withextensions engageable with the ends of said transverse bar members to limit outward swinging movement of the side bars, loops at the free ends of said side bars, bracket members carried at opposite sides of a window opening provided with portions to receive the loops of the side bars, pins fitted through the brackets and the loops of the side bars and thus detachably connecting the side bars with the brackets to extend outwardly substantially horizontally and with the transverse bar members presenting a substantially U-shaped form extending outwardly in a substantially horizontal plane, said side bars being foldable inwardly to lie closely adjacent to the transverse bar mem bersand with their inner ends in opposed rela tion, and clamp means engageable between the transverse bar members and the side bars to hold and retain said side bars in the folded relation. CHARLES HINES. 

